The Indonesian government has agreed to grant Visa-Free Visit (Bebas Visa Kunjungan) facilities to citizens of Kazakhstan and Macau following a coordination meeting held in Jakarta on Monday, 11 May 2026.
The decision was discussed during a meeting involving the Coordinating Ministry for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections, along with representatives from the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections, and the Ministry of Law.
Herdaus said the government continues to apply the principles of prudence and reciprocity when granting visa-free access to foreign nationals.
“This is important considering that there are still countries that have not provided similar facilities to Indonesian citizens,” Herdaus said, as quoted by Antara on Thursday, 14 May.
According to him, the government must carefully balance tourism growth and national security when evaluating visa-free policies.
“The provision of visa-free travel facilities must maintain a balance between ease of service, improving the tourism sector, and national security. Therefore, coordination across ministries and institutions is crucial to ensure that policies remain aligned with national interests,” he said.
The latest decision adds Kazakhstan and Macau to the list of countries and territories receiving visa-free entry facilities to Indonesia.
Several Countries Still Under Review
While the government has approved visa-free access for Kazakhstan and Macau, proposals involving several other countries remain under further review.
The discussion included proposals for visa-free travel facilities for Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, and New Zealand.
The meeting also reviewed a proposal to grant Visas on Arrival to Australian permanent residents entering Indonesia.
Herdaus stated that further studies are still required before any additional countries are officially designated as recipients of visa-free facilities.
According to the Directorate General of Immigration, Indonesia continues to apply a selective policy towards foreign arrivals. Authorities stated that supervision and screening procedures for incoming travellers would remain strict to prevent misuse of visa-free access.
The immigration authority also stressed that visa-free policies are not solely based on tourism considerations, but also involve security and regulatory assessments.
Government Targets Tourism Recovery
The Ministry of Tourism views the visa-free policy as one of several measures to support the recovery of Indonesia’s tourism sector and increase foreign visitor arrivals.
Officials said the government aims to restore international tourist arrivals to pre-pandemic levels, with a target of 16 million foreign visitors.
Participants also assessed that the existing Visa on Arrival and electronic Visa on Arrival programmes have helped facilitate the mobility of international visitors travelling to Indonesia.
Indonesia currently continues to evaluate immigration policies through coordination between ministries and institutions to ensure that tourism growth and border control remain balanced.
